Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Several hundred thousand individuals die as a result of some form of cancer. Therefore, the need to diagnose and treat cancerous or otherwise harmful lesions at the earliest stage possible is highly coveted. Frequently, areas of the body may arouse suspicion as being or becoming cancerous due to a change in appearance, function, or physiology. Alternatively, one's familial history and/or lifestyle may lead a physician to believe that individual is more susceptible or likely to get cancer in a particular part of the body.
Testing the suspicious or otherwise targeted tissue for cancerous growths and/or indicia is commonly done by taking a sample or specimen of the tissue in a procedure called a biopsy. The tissue sample is removed from the body and diagnostic tests are performed on it to deduce its propensity for, or the presence of, malignant cell growth. A biopsy is commonly performed by inserting a needle into the targeted area along a straight path. The needle cuts the tissue sample and simultaneously collects it such that the sample can be removed from the body. A problem with cutting tissue samples along a straight path is that multiple samples (passes) must be taken in the targeted area to obtain a sufficient tissue volume for diagnostic testing. This can be both time consuming as well as uncomfortable for the patient, as acquiring multiple tissue samples requires multiple needle insertions. Additionally, the depth of the tissue sample taken is frequently a function of the length of the needle cutting edge and, thus, is approximated instead of closely monitored. Therefore, there is a need for a tissue sampling device capable of acquiring larger volumes of tissue within one pass to reduce the time of the procedure and discomfort to the patient. There is also a need to closely monitor the depth of the tissue sample acquired to ensure that only tissue from the targeted area, i.e., the abnormal tissue, is removed.